Team USA

Ice hockey record-breaker Rand Pecknold '90 makes his lifelong dreams come true.

When Rand Pecknold '90 was breaking Conn's ice hockey records and leading the Camels to the ECAC South Championship as a senior, he probably never imagined he'd be coaching the U.S. Men's National Team someday. 

After graduating from Conn, Pecknold remained an integral part of the hockey program for three seasons as an assistant coach. But in 1994, he began what has now been an astonishing 23-season run coaching the Quinnipiac University men’s hockey team, transforming that program into a powerhouse and gaining national prominence as one of the most successful coaches in the NCAA. One of only 33 Division I coaches to reach 400 career wins, Pecknold currently sits in the top five of all Division I coaches in the country, and was named national Coach of the Year in 2016.   

So it came as no surprise when USA Hockey announced in April that Pecknold would be an assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s National Team at the International Ice Hockey Federation Men’s World Championship that kicked off on May 5 in Cologne, Germany, and Paris, France. 

“This is an incredible honor and a lifelong dream come true to represent Team USA,” Pecknold said after the announcement.